DOI: https://doi.org/10.14456/jsat.2025.10
Abstract
This experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementing chaya foliage (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius)
on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, and growth performance of crossbred Anglo-Nubian male goats. The fifteen
goats, one year of age, with an initial average body weight of 17.0 ± 1.0 kg, were assigned to three dietary treatments
with five replications each, following a completely randomized design (CRD). All goats were offered corn silage
ad libitum as the basal roughage, and treatments consisted of supplementing chaya foliage at three levels: T1 =
control (0%), T2 = 3%, and T3 = 6% (DM basis), in combination with pelleted concentrate containing 14% crude
protein. Prior to the experiment, goats underwent a 10-day adaptation period. During the trial, animals were fed
individually twice daily at 06:30 and 16:30, with free access to clean water. The experimental period lasted 90 days.
The results showed that dry matter intake (DMI, g/d), crude protein (CP), and ether extract (EE) intakes were
significantly increased (p<0.05). Goats in T2 had the highest intakes (1693.2, 112.6, and 76.0 g/d, respectively),
which were greater than those in T3 (1514.6, 102.0, and 72.7 g/d, respectively). Nutrient digestibility of DM, CP,
and ADF also differed significantly (p<0.05) compared with the control group. Regarding growth performance,
goats supplemented with chaya foliage showed significantly improved body weight gain (p<0.05). In particular,
goats in the highest supplementation group (6%) achieved an average daily gain of 23.5 g/day, indicating the
potential of chaya foliage as an alternative protein source for ruminant diets without adverse effects on growth
performance.
Keywords: Chaya; feed intake; digestibility; growth performance of meat goats
Received: June 7, 2025. Revised: August 25, 2025; July 12, 2025. Accepted: October 23, 2025.
